


brave

by civillove



Series: plans wrapped in rubber bands [6]
Category: Good Girls (TV)
Genre: F/M, Soft Rio (Good Girls)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-01
Updated: 2019-05-01
Packaged: 2020-02-15 18:23:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,523
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18675025
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/civillove/pseuds/civillove
Summary: Anon request on tumblr: Loved 'tea for two'!!! You’re a great writer! Loved the interaction between Rio and Jane... wish we could see it more on screen. Could you maybe write a fic of Beth interacting with Marcus?--“I don't gotta tell you every move before I decide to take it. When I know something, so will you.” The last part of his sentence is cut off by the sound of skidding shoes, Marcus running right into Rio and grabbing his waist so he doesn’t slip on the floor.He starts for a moment, his hand falling to his son’s back before he looks down at him.“What have I told you about runnin’ inside, pop?”





	brave

**Author's Note:**

> This fic falls directly between: 'tea for two' and 'choices'. This is before 2x09

 

Beth hums under her breath as she takes stock of the amount of minivans they have out front at Boland Motors. She glances at a small stack of papers before glancing up through her office window, chewing on her lower lip. Using a pen, she makes a few notes to bring four silver minivans from the overflow lot around back because it seems to be one of their best sellers. She smiles a little; the on-site car seat installation is proving wonders for their revenue.

Regardless of how…messy everything in her life has been, this is one constant that helps her remain on task. She’s good at this, selling cars to women who have just as busy lives as she does (without washing cash and well, the drugs, of course). But still, working here has taught her that she _can_ be a mother and hold a full-time job and that she doesn’t need Dean, or any man for that matter, to make her feel like she can’t multi-task with things she loves, things she’s good at.

She sets papers down on her desk, curling her hair around her ear before glancing at the clock. It’s almost lunchtime and despite the rush they usually have, traffic is slow today. She blames it on the rain for the most part; it’s been thundering since she woke up this morning, a kind of heavy downpour that’s going to remain consistent. The clouds are a thick grey, looming, almost as if they’re watching her through the glass windows of her office.

Her work here helps her stay distracted; Beth’s been talking with Dean but she’s not making much headway in terms of coming to an agreement that feels right, that _feels_ like she doesn’t have to give everything up to be with her family again. Part of her wants to ask what Dean is giving up: their house? Her? because he doesn’t seem to care about those things as much anymore. There was a time when she believed he’d do anything for her but its long gone, sat on a shelf somewhere and gathering dust.

She knows she needs to make a decision, but at this point it’s easier for her not to think about it, to remain distracted. As painful as limbo can be, it almost feels safer to be there, in a state of not deciding—because then nothing has to change.

Distractions will only do so much, she knows, but she needs them. Otherwise she’ll fall apart, rip right at her seams and she’s done being upset about this. Crying isn’t going to fix anything, it’s not going to help her make a choice; all it does is remind her about the _lack_ of control swimming; trying to pull her under until she can’t breathe, until she drowns.

Beth sits down at her desk and glances up as her secretary, Carol, pops her head into her office. “I’m going to go on lunch, if that’s alright?”

She nods, “Sure, take an extra half-hour if you need, I don’t think we’re going to be very busy this afternoon.”

Carol smiles, “Thanks Mrs. Boland.”

“Beth,” She repeats with a fond smile, “Please.”

Carol goes to leave but she notices her pause, her eyes watching something in the distance near the front of the dealership before turning again to address Beth. “Uh, I believe your partner is here. Did he have an appointment?”

Her stomach swoops up into her chest at the sheer mention of him and she tries to clamp down on the sensation before she speaks again, “Uh, yes, I just…I must have forgotten about it. I’ll take care of it, Carol, thank you.”

Carol gives her a soft smile before nodding, leaving quickly to take her long lunch break. Beth smooths her hands down the front of her navy blue dress with a cloud-pattern on the skirt and she’s not quite sure what it is about Rio, but he always makes her feel like she should somehow second guess what she’s wearing. Not that she’d _ever_ dress just for a man but she realizes that she likes thinking about it, his eyes traveling over her, drinking her in.

It makes her feel… _wanted_ in a way she rarely feels with Dean and she’s not about to deny herself that.

Beth straightens her posture at her desk and as she waits for him to appear through her doorway, she realizes she hasn’t seen him in a while, not since he stopped over her place to talk about cars when she had Jane. They’ve spoken on the phone but only briefly, talking quick details about drop offs and pick-ups. It’s all business, short and to the point, not what it’s like talking to him in person when he says so much with his eyes, with his body angled towards her and brief touches along her cheek or shoulder.

He’s been preoccupied but it doesn’t seem to be with business, something else is pulling his attention but she’s not about to ask if it’s something personal, if anything is wrong, because she knows he’d never tell her. Beth feels like he knows so much about her life and yet he keeps everything that’s personal about his tight against his chest, almost as if it’s glued along toned skin and softly-lined tattoos.

Rio won’t even let her get close enough to try.

As she stacks another set of papers before setting them inside her desk, she realizes that Rio still hasn’t made it back to her office. Beth frowns and stands, moving to walk into the showroom—is he waiting for _her_ to meet him?

She wonders if he’s trying to make a cappuccino again with that infuriating machine where you need to hit three buttons in the row so you don’t get a flavor.

When she walks out onto the floor, she nods her head at some other sales people that didn’t take their lunch break yet and sees Rio at the far end near an orange viper leftover from Dean’s dealership that she hasn’t been able to move yet.

It’s a horrid car and too overpriced but she’s been too busy rotating vans onto the lot outside that she hasn’t thought about this thing in a while. Her stomach lurches, mixed with a low heat dipping lower as she gets closer, remembering the night he’d taken a crowbar to a similar viper, destroying the exterior, smashing the window, sending glass flying.

He’s leaning with his hands against the door, his back slightly bent to look into the leather interior and a calm washes over her when she realizes he’s doing just that: _looking._ She’s about to open her mouth, offer a quip about him buying it—

When a small boy sits up in the driver’s seat.

Beth feels herself pause, her heels skidding on the linoleum floor. It takes her a moment to recognize out who it is, that same bright smile she’s seen at the park holding a soccer ball, running to the monkey bars after and patiently standing in line even though he doesn’t want to. He looks so much like Rio, even though his dark hair is a little bit longer, teeth almost too big in his mouth and a little gaped but…it’s his eyes, she realizes, that are the same.

Dark brown and wide, curious about life, open to experiencing the world around him.

Rio senses her and looks over his shoulder, his eyes sweeping over her form quickly, a smile tugging the ends of his mouth. “Afternoon Ms. Boland, I think we’re interested in this car.”

Marcus laughs as his hands wrap around the steering wheel, making racecar noises and trying to turn it as if he was on a speedway. Beth feels a laugh crawling up her throat, a soft sound leaving her mouth as she goes to lean her hip against the hood.

“I’m sure that can be arranged.” She smiles, her eyes finding Rio’s as Marcus imitates the sound of tires skidding.

He licks his lips and straightens his back and it’s not until her gaze falls to the jacket over his arm that she realizes how wet he is from getting caught in the rain, dripping like a pattern onto the floor at their feet. He must have used his jacket to cover Marcus because his son seems dry and something tight and warm squeezes Beth’s sternum at the thought. She has to clamp down on everything in her that screams ‘mom instincts’ and instead just offers her hand for his jacket so she can hang it up.

“I’m sure there’s some kinda business partner discount we can apply for, yeah?” Rio says to her as he hands her the jean jacket.

“No, but nice try.”

A smile tugs at the ends of his mouth before he chews on his lower lip, far too amused for her liking. “Nah? Did you have another discount in mind?”

His eyes say far too much and despite the fact that the material of his jacket is sodden and a little cool to the touch under her fingertips, she feels heat curl throughout her body. She refuses to dignify that with any sort of response, her eyes falling to the t-shirt he had on underneath his jean jacket that is now, equally, soaking wet.

Luckily it isn’t white but the fact that it’s black doesn’t hide much from her imagination; it hugs every curve, kisses every pore of his skin and it’s so unfair for her to see him like _this_ after not doing business in person for a while.

Can’t she ease back into this?

She struggles a moment for words, can feel amusement roll off him in waves before she finally settles on something to say. “You’re going to catch a cold like that.”

“Don’t worry about me, ma, I got a great immune system.”

Beth finds herself rolling her eyes, because of course, and turns to take his jacket into her office to hang up. She doesn’t expect him to follow her but he does, leaning against the doorframe. His body isn’t completely angled towards her because his attention is split between her and his son, his eyes finding him every so often to check to make sure he’s good. Her chest tightens a little, one parent recognizing another, and sometimes it’s so _hard_ for her to see Rio this way: as a father.

Speaking of, “I’m surprised you brought him with you…isn’t this place a little public?”

Rio shrugs, crossing his arms over his chest. “Why? We’re just shoppin’ for a car.”

It’s so nonchalant and unconcerned and she supposes that he’s right, it’s not any more public than the park where both their kids have met, played together. It’s just so odd to see him _here_ with him; the park makes more sense.

“I guess I just meant it’s not something you usually do.” She sets his jacket on a coat rack, hoping that’ll make a little bit of difference in drying the fabric.

He doesn’t answer her right away and she watches as he leans up from the doorframe as his shoulders tighten ever so slightly. The average person probably wouldn’t have picked up on it but she’s used to reading him, trusting in his body to tell her how he feels because his mouth rarely does…at least not honestly.

“Yeah my usual babysitter got…tied up.” He’s annoyed, his jaw working as she treads that invisible line that he tries to draw between them and she wonders if he means that or if there’s some sort of double-meaning to his words.

Beth decides to press her luck, “Is that why I haven’t heard from you in a while?”

He smirks, “What are you tryin’ to say, that you missed me?”

Her cheeks dust pink and she _hates_ that he sees it, instantly, his eyes clocking the color and only drawing his lips up further into that smirk. “No.” But she’s not sure what the point of lying to him is and twists her reasoning around, “I missed making money.” Because at least has something to do with the truth. “You have cars here in the lot still.”

Rio sighs, his eyes not looking at her as he talks, gaze on Marcus who’s still in the viper. “I know, I’m workin’ on it.”

“They can’t stay on the sideline for much longer, people are going to start asking why I’m not putting them in gen-pop.”

“Tell them it’s because you’re the damn boss, that’s why.” He says quickly, like it’s that easy.

Beth lets out a slow breath between her lips and shakes her head; she’s not about to address the people who work for her that way. “That’s not going to happen.”

He looks at her then and she knows what he’s about to say before it even leaves his mouth; she’s used to this dance they do and she wonders if they’ll ever hit a point where they can skip over the part where he doesn’t trust her enough to let her completely in.

They’re partners, 50/50, but there’s still so much hesitation on his part.

“I don't gotta tell you every move before I decide to take it. When I know something, so will you.” The last part of his sentence is cut off by the sound of skidding shoes, Marcus running right into Rio and grabbing his waist so he doesn’t slip on the floor.

He starts for a moment, his hand falling to his son’s back before he looks down at him.

“What have I told you about runnin’ inside, pop?”

Beth can’t help the small smile that tugs at the ends of her mouth, the conversation so domestic and familiar that it almost doesn’t feel real coming from him. The scolding, however, sounds the same—she recognizes it from all the times he lays into her about their work together being dangerous when she does something reckless.

“I’m hungry, daddy.” His voice is almost muffled against Rio’s side, his mouth and nose pressed against his shirt.

“You’re hungry.” He repeats, eyes rolling to the ceiling in an exaggerated, playful way that makes Marcus laugh. “You just ate an hour ago.”

Beth takes a step towards them, her eyes drinking in Rio’s demeanor as his hand falls to his son’s hair, ruffling it a little. This is more time than she’s ever spent with them at the park and she suddenly has the urge to soak this all in, to commit this version of him to her memory like she might not see it ever again.

“I _do_ have mac n cheese in the staff breakroom.”

She grins at the way Marcus’s face lights up at the idea that food is so easily attainable but then pauses when Rio looks up at her. He’s watching her for a moment, studying, digesting a thought in way where she almost worries she’s somehow overstepped.

But then his shoulders relax and he nods, looking down at Marcus before, “What do we say?”

“Thank you, Ms. Beth.”

Marcus knows her name and her mind whirs with possibilities in how that’s come to be: does Rio talk about her when they’re at home? Or was this something that happened in passing, when Rio told Marcus that he had to visit a work partner today.

She walks past and motions for them to follow, taking her time to wander past a few other cars that Marcus needs to stop and consider. There’s no racecar noises this time but he’s obviously into driving like Jane is into horses—any time her daughter sees anything that resembles a horse they have to stop and talk about it. It’s endearing in a way that fills up her entire body with warmth; to see joy and fascination on a kid’s face is one of the reasons she loves being a parent.

Rio watches Marcus but Beth can’t help but watch _Rio;_ that same softness is around his eyes, his lips pursed into a continuous amused smile, body relaxed but hands working at his sides, fingers flexing every so often. Beth understands that, the ‘just in case’ sensation that seems to run through your hands and arms and legs when you’re with your kid. You never know what they might need and you have to be ready to give it to them.

It makes her wonder if Rio worries about that, about his lifestyle clashing with being a father, how those uncertainties consume her relentlessly. He seems to do both rather seamlessly and while she wants to ask, she knows he won’t tell her.

She circles them around the reception desk to a small break room, opening the door with a gentle click. Rio picks Marcus up with an exaggerated noise, purposely flipping him upside down so he laughs and goes to set him down in one of the lone chairs in the room. There’s a table too but Marcus isn’t tall enough to reach it and she watches him kick his legs back in forth as she pulls a container of mac n cheese from the fridge to heat up in the microwave.

Beth can feel Rio approach her from behind, the warmth of his body pressing into her own like a puzzle piece falling into place. She closes her eyes a moment to concentrate before putting the food where it needs to go and setting the timer. She can hear thunder boom in the distance, the crackle of lightening as a storm continues to rage outside.

It feels nothing compared to the destruction in this small room, their bodies so close to one another, Rio leaning quite purposely over her to grab a few napkins. She turns so she’s facing him, her back against the counter, eyes drinking in the delicate lines of his face.

“You…want something to eat?” She asks and hates how her voice shakes a little.

“Nah, I’m good.” Rio tells her, his one hand playing with the fabric of her dress near her hip—bruises from his touch long gone but skin tingling from the heat of his skin through the fabric.

He pulls back from her quick, too quick, and she shakes her head as the microwave dings. She clears her throat and pulls the container out, mixing it with a fork before putting it in front of Marcus on the table.

“It’s too hot, maybe let it cool a little before you dig in.”

Marcus nods dutifully as Rio’s phone rings and Beth watches him dig it out of his pocket before making a face at the screen. He then asks her a question with his eyes and she nods because _of course_ and Rio crouches so he can look directly into Marcus’s gaze.

“Hey I gotta take this call, yeah, you listen to Ms. Beth.”

Beth hands him the mac n cheese, to which Marcus says _okay_ around a forkful of noodles and Rio scruffs up his hair again before dragging a feather light touch along her shoulders as he leaves the breakroom.

Beth lets herself sit down next to Marcus, offering him a small smile as he munches on mac n cheese. He doesn’t look at her, for the most part, but he does respond to her when she asks him about his favorite car and if soccer is his favorite sport. She steals a forkful of noodles, which makes him smile as she makes a face to lick cheese off her upper lip and then watches her with a careful thoughtfulness that definitely reminds her of Rio.

But while his father uses that to his advantage, Marcus’s eyes are a soft, warm brown, still innocent.

“Do you like my dad?”

Beth almost chokes on a noodle. Okay, maybe not so innocent. Her cheeks flush a soft pink before she clears her throat, setting her fork down on the table they’re sitting by. “I uh,” _It’s complicated_ sounds ridiculous, even before saying it out loud.

“He’s…” She nods. “Something.”

Marcus blinks at her because that response makes entirely no sense. Beth lets out a breath that flutters her bangs.

“I do like him,” She amends after a moment and then says far too quickly, “He can be annoying.”

He considers her for a moment, handing her the mac n cheese when he’s done with it. “Like waiting in line for the monkey bars?”

Beth laughs gently because, why not, “Yes, sure.”

It’s quiet for a moment as Beth stands to take the container to the sink, rinsing it out before setting it aside. She dries her hand on a dishtowel and glances at the ceiling as the lights flicker on and off, thunder ricocheting against her eardrums. A small shiver runs down her spine before she takes her seat next to Marcus again.

“He says the same thing about you.” Marcus says, looking up at her and Beth almost snorts out a laugh because she’s sure that’s not the only thing he’s saying. She can picture it now, Rio walking back in forth in the kitchen of his home, a frustrated mumbling said under his breath about whatever she’s done lately to aggravate him.

“But he also says you’re brave.”

Beth’s breath stops in her chest, almost so sudden that it hurts. Brave? That’s certainly not how she’d describe herself if someone asked and she spirals for a moment as she thinks about those words leaving Rio’s lips. Regardless of how she knows she has anything to prove to anyone, it feels _good_ to think about her impressing him, about actually learning and embracing the work she does to the point where it makes her look brave.

She doesn’t know what to say so she settles on not saying anything at all, instead leaning back into her chair as Marcus’s legs kick bath and forth as he waits for his father to return. Thunder crackles and the lights shut off a moment, submerging them in darkness before stuttering back on again.

Marcus has gone rigid beside her, his teeth biting his lower lip so hard that it looks like it might hurt and Beth frowns. She gently touches his hair, smoothing it to the one side. “Storm bothering you?”

He shakes his head almost instantly, crossing his arms over his chest. “No, I’m not a baby.”

She smiles softly because she recognizes her own sons in that moment, trying their best to be brave when they’re scared, to impress their dad in telling him that they’re not afraid of the dark and that they slept with the light off. Marcus is no different.

“You’re not a baby,” She agrees, her voice warm and soothing. She wraps an arm around him but doesn’t try and force him against her; just a solid wall of support in case he needs it. “Everyone is afraid of something.”

He stops biting his lower lip, his posture relaxing a fraction as he looks up at her, curious. “Even you?”

Beth laughs gently, “Of course! Can’t be brave all the time,” She teases, squeezing his side so he smiles. And he does; it’s soft and hesitant but it’s there as lightening flashes into the showroom, booming thunder not long behind.

Marcus sits up a little, pride shining in his voice like he’s got the sun in his mouth as he says, “My dad isn’t afraid of anything.”

She smirks, her chest filling with warmth at the amount of _love_ she feels pouring out of this kid beside her. If someone would have told her the first day she met Rio that she’d be having this conversation with his son she wouldn’t have believed them.

“Then I guess he’s pretty brave then too, hmm?” She asks, tapping the end of his nose with her finger. “He must get it from you.”

When she looks over to the doorway, Rio is standing there, watching them as he leans against the doorframe. There’s an expression on his face that she can’t quite define and isn’t sure she wants to. The mask he so often wears is still there but it’s slipping off his face, replaced with something warmer, more open—and she’s afraid to say it, but _affectionate._

“Come on pop, time to go.” And by the time he looks at her again, that mask is back in place as he leans down to pick Marcus up when he runs towards him.

He smiles and holds him on his hip, fixing his shirt so it’s straight as he carries him back into the dealership and towards the front entrance. Beth follows, pausing by the viper as Rio sets him back down.

“Forgot my jacket and unless you want to get soaking wet, you need to go grab it for me.” Marcus scrunches his nose in agreement and a laugh tumbles out of Rio’s mouth, “Alright, its hangin’ up in Ms. Beth’s office near her chair, yeah?”

He’s already turning on his heel and running towards her office, Rio shaking his head as he sticks his hands in his pockets.

“So everything is set up for the cars?” She asks, guessing that’s why he was on the phone.

He lets out a slow breath, his eyes meeting hers as Marcus disappears into her office. “All work and no play, hmm?” He’s teasing her and even goes as far as to tug on the fabric of her dress.

She huffs and swats his hand away, a gentle laugh leaving his lips at her reaction. It dips into her stomach, making a swooping sensation that she quickly clamps down on the sensation before the butterflies move to other parts of her body.

“It was nice seeing him today,” Beth says after a moment, hoping that the shift in gears doesn’t cause him to draw his walls up as he sometimes does.

He doesn’t, however, just nods his head before glancing towards her office again. “He likes you.”

Beth smiles at that, her hands falling to her hips, “Well I’m very likeable.”

He smirks and she hears the pitter-patter sound of feet as Marcus runs back with Rio’s jacket, “Don’t get too cocky, ma.” And winks at her before trying to scoop up his son but Marcus is too fast, already zipping out of his grasp and running towards the front door with the jean jacket over his head.

“Come on, dad!”

Rio huffs out a soft sound and turns to look at Beth, considering her a moment before he reaches his hand up so that his fingers trail along her jawline. “You know Marcus was wrong,” His thumb brushes over her chin and her heartbeat starts hammering in her ears, her eyes falling into the warmth of his brown ones. “I am afraid of somethin’.”

Beth lets out a breath, his touch gone too soon as he pulls away and quickly puts Marcus over his shoulder before he can run away. He smiles at her, glancing in her direction one more time before he disappears into the rain.

And thunder once again echoes against the sky.

**Author's Note:**

> thanks for reading! i'm always taking prompts at my tumblr, come say hi :) blainesebastian.tumblr.com/ask


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